Reveal financial status

NFP leader Professor Biman Prasad, middle, calls on the government to reveal the state of finances. Picture: FELIX CHAUDHARY

THE leader of the National Federation Party has called on the Bainimarama government to provide a balance sheet on the state of the country's finances.

With less than 40 days before the September 17 election, Professor Biman Prasad said if the administration was not able to furnish the Auditor-General's report for the term it had been in office, it should at least provide a clear picture of the state of finances to assist the incoming government after September 17.

"I call on this government to provide the state of finances - the expenditure and revenue as per the 2014 budget as of June 30," he said.

"If they can't provide the Auditor-General's report, at least provide the state of finances in the last six months because that is important for the public and for the government that is coming in to understand after the September polls."

Mr Prasad said certain provisions in the 2014 budget which were announced last year had failed to materialise and in the interest of transparency, the government should come clean.

"In the 2014 budget they have $475million budgeted as revenue to come from the sale of assets which includes ports and airports but these sales have not gone ahead as yet.

"They need to clearly outline how much revenue they have got and what is the expenditure and what is the true state of finances."

Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, speaking on the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation's Aaina television show said the Auditor-General's report would be released next month in Parliament.